The USCIS determination of eligibility for change of
status to F-1 consists of two levels of inquiry:

Eligibility for F-1 status itself

Eligibility for change of status in general

Instructions:

Check or
money order for $290, made payable to the Department of
Homeland Security or U.S. Citizenship and immigration
Service. If someone else writes the check, make sure
your name is somewhere on the check.

Photocopy
of financial support documents
(same financial support information used to
obtain the I-20 from the school)

If applicable, dependent
family member(s)
documentation (If
dependent family members currently in the U.S. plan
to change their status as well, their information
should be included in Form I-539,and documentation showing the validity of
their current immigration status, including their
Forms I-94, should be included

Letter
from the student. Although
optional, a strong letter can help
convince USCIS of the student's temporary intent as
well as persuade USCIS that the student did not have
a pre-conceived intention to study in the U.S.

NOTE:

An
applicant for change of nonimmigrant status to F-1
may start attending school even before the
application has been submitted or approved, except
for the following, who must wait until their change
of status application is approved by USCIS:

Nonimmigrants changing to F-1 from B-1 or B-2
status; and

Nonimmigrants changing to F-1 from F-2 dependent
status (except in the case of F-2 minors
studying at the primary or secondary level)